The number of new building projects authorized for construction. Because receiving a Building Permit is the first step in the construction process, the figure is used as the earliest indicator for developments in the housing market. Additionally, because of the high outlays needed for construction projects an increase in Building Permits implies an increase in investment and corporate optimism. Finally, the figure gives insight into consumer activity, since new home purchases are associated with an increase in sales of “big ticket” durable goods. Given such connections to consumer and corporate sentiment, real estate generally leads economic developments – thriving at the start of a boom and waning at the onset of recession .Considering the above, one would expect the Building Permits figure to significantly move markets. After all, Building Permits is a part of the Conference Board’s Leading Indicators index used to forecast US growth. However, the timeliness of the figure comes at a cost. The report is far removed from end market impacts, making it a less market-moving figure.

The report headline number is expressed in total volume of permits issued and percentage change from